Strachan was critical of his side's first-half display at Blackpool

Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan has described his side's 2-0 Championship defeat by Blackpool on Tuesday as a "wasted opportunity".

The defeat ended Boro's six-match unbeaten run in the league and former Celtic boss Strachan was left frustrated by a lacklustre display.

"It's hard work to get six games undefeated," he told BBC Tees.

"It's only in the second half that we made them defend and the first half there was nothing happening."

Strachan had previously criticised his players' opening-half performance after Saturday's 1-0 win against Peterborough, and continued in the same theme with Tuesday's trip to the Lancashire coast.

And the former Celtic boss admitted the defeat was partly down to Blackpool's tactics and better adjustment to the heavy surface at Bloomfield Road.

"I'm a bit angry, I'm angry every time I get beat unless they put in a really, really good performance," Strachan said.

"A lot of the players gave it their best, but as I said it's all down to the fact they (Blackpool) played the conditions and the pitch the way we should have done it.

"You can see from the start any ball that bounced was getting knocked in behind us and it was a clever way to play."

The loss means Boro are now level on 44 points with Blackpool in the table, just three places off the play-off zone.

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